Pages

Monday, 30 April 2012

I picked up this book at the library and now that I'm on a knitting roll cast on a stash busting project.

Really enjoying a small fast project , unfortunately I am having an enforced rest as I took my knitting away overnight to a friends place (an hour away) and left the book there. Might be forced to sew something instead.

Wednesday, 25 April 2012

Apologies for slightly fuzzy night time photos. The first pair are a size 6 months:

The owl print is flannel so I expect that this side will go next to skin.

The 2nd pair are size 2 for a small boy:

It's such an easy and quick pattern I decided to try a bigger pair for Georgie. She tried on the size 2 and because they are designed to go over a nappy they are pretty roomy so with a lot more length and just a little more width I made her a pair. Although the size 2 was a bit tight they looked really cute as a 3/4 pant so I might try some for next summer just cut a bit wider. These long ones look good for Autumn instead of trackies.

I think they look better denim side out as otherwise they look a bit like pajamas on her.

Next up another pair of Dortje pants, they are a bit more stylish for a 5 yr old I think.

Tuesday, 24 April 2012

Ta da - here it is one year after starting , a tiny tea leaves cardigan - and it fits

Not sewing but counts towards the kids clothes week challenge - ie making clothes for your kids. I'm happy with the size and fit. I read a few raverly reviews that said the neck was a bit wide so I made sure that I cast on really tight and its great. Sits low enough so over the shirt under it and not itchy. I'm tempted to make a short sleeved version as an think it would look cute like that too.

Monday, 23 April 2012

This week is Kids clothes week challenge - a sewing challenge organised by Elsie Marley
The idea is that this week you sew kids clothes for an hour a day. I have a few things on my hit list I'm going to make. Tonight I did pattern cutting and sizing, tomorrow I plan to do some cutting - these are my least favourite parts of sewing. Compounded by the fact that kids keep growing so I need to keep cutting new patterns.

On my list is 2 pairs of quick change trousers for a friends kids as the ones I made below are almost outgrown:

Another pair of Dortje pants like the ones below for Georgie as sadly last years are too small

I also want to make this little tunic top for Georgie to wear over tights and a longsleeve merino in winter and hopefully it will still fit with tights under it next summer if I make it long enough

Last year along with the Dortje pants above I made an Oliver and S little red riding hood cape here and knot shorts here. Might be a bit ambitious making 4 garments in a week , even 2 would be good - will keep you posted.

Tuesday, 17 April 2012

Last winter I started a cardigan for Georgie , a Tiny tea leaves ( pattern here) in a charcoal grey wool. Knowing that I rarely finish a garment quickly I started a size bigger than she was - so it will fit for this winter. With cooler weather I've felt the urge to knit and suddenly I am on the 2nd sleeve - yah.I was taught to knit by my mother and here in NZ everyone I know knits seamed garments, so Tiny tea leaves top down on circular needles has been a learning experience.

The blog world and the internet has introduced me to a whole new world of knitting - see what others are making, raverly with lots of easily accessible patterns It has also been useful choosing colours - a quick search for Tiny tea leaves on flickr and Raverly brings up pictures of every colour imaginable. It's also infiltrated my language - I find myself using words like yarn rather than wool, jumper instead of jersey. Part of me likes this the other part resists - sort of a nationalist thing as growing up in NZ it's like calling biscuits cookies - it's just feels wrong to me . Biscuits are sweet and crackers savory. Likewise in a nation of sheep farms and as a farmers daughter I knit with wool not yarn ( I don't often knit with other fibres). For my daughter I'm sure it will be different ( I already hear her use words like cookie) - she lives in a much more international world where travel and the Internet broaden her language in a way we never had as kids.

Recently I read the book "Sweater quest" by Adrienne Martini , if you are crafty whether you knit or not it was a good read. I learnt more new knitting terminology - cutting a steek, frogging, tink. Now I'm close to finishing the tiny tea leaves - I've been on raverly looking for a pattern for myself - I have some Noro in my stash to use!

Wednesday, 11 April 2012

We stayed home and hung out with visiting friends, I had an "unplugged " weekend, enjoying their company, hardly even got my camera out. There was lots of great local single track mt biking - sooo good.

I've also got back into Bikram (hot) yoga - explains the low profile on my blog, I have a total love /hate relationship with Bikram yoga .( its a type of yoga done in a room heated to about 38 -40 degrees C) It feels so great when you finish and you are much more flexible in the heat but in the midst of a class can feel really bad!). I've been 2 or 3 times a week for the past few weeks and starting to feel the benefits but its a 20 min drive each way and 90 minutes of class so it eats into my craft time. I have however managed to get out my knitting and am close to one arm finished on G's new cardigan and then only one to go.

Georgie got to hangout with her little friend lots and we had a few late nights so the past day or so she has done lots of down time at home with lots of drawing.

We've also had our neighbours cat coming to hang out, great as with a cat allergic father Georgie gets some pet time .

Baxter the cat inspired this fantastic picture - complete with words - no help from me at all.

We also did some fun Easter baking and made these "birds nest biscuits" which I saw over at the crafty cow. ( highly rate this site for craft ideas for kids) They only had jumbo jelly beans at the local shop so we made some using M&M's as well, little mini jelly beans in a cluster would have looked good.

And of course fine weather was a good excuse to break out the scooter.